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Friday, March 17, 2000

County urged to seek funding for home rehab

By ROSIE FLORESStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 17, 2000 - Reeves County Commissioners approved two resolutions
involving aid to the Madera Valley Water Supply Corp., during an emergency
meeting held Thursday afternoon at the Reeves County Courthouse.

Commissioners also talked with two state housing officials, who urged
the country to apply for further housing rehabilitation grants after they
had looked at the condition of homes in and around Reeves County.

"Over the last few years we have completed housing rehabilitation in
rural areas and in order to close out that grant, we had some findings
and documentation to complete," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo.
He said the county had to finalize some forms and complete some needed
information

Cindy Mauro and Kit Seay, with the Texas Department Housing and Community
Affairs, were on hand to help with the finalization plans and to offer
their assistance in applying for further funding for Madera Valley Water
Supply Co.

Madera Valley has had problems during the heavy water use summer months
in recent years supplying adequate water pressure to some sections of Reeves
County south and west of Pecos.

"We has a request from Madera Valley Water for funding, for a project
that is ready to go," said Mauro. "In order to proceed with this grant,
we had to close out this contract first."

Mauro stated that Reeves County had had three different people working
on this project and that they needed to tie up some loose ends and establish
a county policy regarding written citizens complaint procedure.

"The other thing will be an excessive force policy," said Mauro.

The first resolution approved was to establish county's policy regarding
written citizens complaint procedure. The other resolution was for establishing
rules and regulations regarding the use of excessive force during non-violent
civil rights demonstrations, including physically barring entrance to a
facility or location which is the subject of such demonstration and providing
penalties for violations.

Mauro explained that even though this hasn't happened here, it might
have happened elsewhere that somebody working on a federal project was
using excessive force.

"You need to have a policy that states that you will stop that, should
it occur," she said.

Each of the counties has to pass those resolutions. "Once we get these
two resolutions passed, we'll be ready for the water project to begin,"
said Mauro.

"If you submit an application, you will need the same resolutions in
place in order for them to be processed," she said. "And then it will need
to be closed in order to be eligible for other grants," she said.

"It's good that you could come out here and see our city," said Reeves
County Commissioner Precinct 3 Herman Tarin. "It's good that we can get
some representation and see what we have and the needs that we have."

"You do have a lot of poverty here," said Mauro. "We drove through some
neighborhoods and we feel you certainly do need some assistance."

Mauro told the group that she encouraged the county to look into the
Home Program and the Step Program, as means of obtaining help.

"The city might want to submit an application for this program," said
Mauro.

"This program will provide funds for materials and they can provide
some equipment and administration," said Mauro. "You just need to get volunteers
to do the work, such as community service people, probationers or others
who would like to volunteer their time and energy."

"We would encourage that you apply for this program, (STEP Program)
anytime, as a means for housing rehabilitation," she said.

"Thank you all for your time and interest in the CEG Program," said
Seay. "We enjoy getting out into the communities and seeing for ourselves
what is needed."

"We enjoy meeting the community members and getting out and about,"
she said.

Galindo told the group that with the grant that was closed out, 16 housing
units had been rehabilitated.

Jones finds cleaner life back in Pecos

By SMOKEY BRIGGSStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 17, 2000 - You can't always plan life. When Wes Jones left
Pecos his plans did not include coming back to his hometown to open up
a laundry.

Well, he didn't come back just to open a laundry. But two years ago
he came home to Pecos - and a couple of weeks ago he helped reopen City
Cleaners at 501 S. Oak St.

"It's funny how things work out," he said from his perch beside an old-fashioned
looking steam press.

He's not an exceptionally big man, but there is a stoutness to him that
speaks of hours in a weight room, and he looks slightly out of place against
a backdrop of machines meant to put nice creases in shirts.

After high school Jones headed for college in San Angelo. College didn't
last too long.

"I liked college a little too much if you know what I mean," he said.
A year later Jones enlisted in the Marine Corps. He spent the next six
years on active duty as an aviation supply specialist.

When he mustered out of the Corps, Jones enrolled at Universal Technical
Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

"I spent a year going to school to get my HVAC certificate. I worked
my way through school with a restaurant supply company in Phoenix, " he
said.

For the next five years he put his new certification to work with American
Freezer Services, a company in Phoenix, until the company was sold.

"I was the assistant plant engineer. Mostly, I fixed anything that broke.
It was an interesting job. I also got my hazardous materials certification
while I was there," he said.

When the company sold, Jones loaded up his two daughters, Katie and
Jennifer, and moved back to Pecos.

"I really didn't have a plan. I got a job at the prison as a corrections
officer. Nine months later I went to work for Madera Valley Water Supply.
Everything worked out pretty well."

Today he's still working for Madera Valley and, as of a couple of weeks
ago, he's a partner in City Cleaners.

"It certainly wasn't something we planned," he said, referring to taking
over the shop along with dad and partner Roger Jones.

"We found out it was closed when we came to get some clothes and the
doors were locked. A week or so later, we reopened. So far, it has been
a challenge, but it has been fun," he said.

The last few weeks have also been a crash course in running a laundry
and dry cleaning business for the 31-year-old Jones, who is also a Den
Leader in Cub Scout Pack 191.

"It's not rocket science, but you have to know how to do things right,
and I didn't know anything about it when we started."

But Jones did have a few aces in the hole when he started - or actually
four of them.

"We inherited a great staff. Four of the five ladies that work for us
worked here before it closed, and they are tremendous. They really know
their jobs, and take a lot of pride in their work," he said.

"Lupe Michaelis is our manager. Rosie Rodriguez and Lupe do all of our
finish pressing. Grace Grulf and Liz Martinez take care of our laundry
work. And these days, Donna Martinez is running the dry cleaning machines."

But when Wes took over the place, Donna hadn't worked there before,
and nobody knew how to run the dry cleaning machines.

"The former owner did all of the dry cleaning himself, so we didn't
know what to do there," he said.

Long-time Pecos resident Mike Allison solved that problem. Allison owned
City Cleaners for enough decades to become an institution in Pecos before
he retired, and according to Jones, knows the business like his own shadow.

"Mike came in and showed us how to run the dry cleaning equipment. It's
really like washing clothes, except you use naphtha instead of water. But
you have to do it right. Mike knows how to do it right, and he showed us
how," Jones said. "He is very meticulous."

"It is really an interesting process. Naphtha is a solvent, and doesn't
penetrate clothing fibers like water does. The result is that it tends
to "lift" dirt off of fabric, rather than push it through the fabric like
water does."

Apparently, Allison taught Jones pretty well. The clothes are coming
out clean and Pecosites are pulling through the drive through again to
pick up their cleaning.

"Business is going good," Jones said. "The first week was slow, but
since then things have really picked up."

Jones said that along with dry cleaning he also offers regular laundry
and pressing, as well as charging by the pound for laundry that doesn't
need to be pressed.

"We also offer service in Alpine and Van Horn. We pick up every Wednesday,
so people can drop their cleaning off on Wednesday, and get it back on
the next Wednesday," he said. "Peggy Walker, who owns The Needleworks here
in Pecos also has a shop in Alpine. We have a deal with her so that folks
can drop off and pick up at her shop there," he said.

"We also do alterations and repairs, and offer tuxedo rentals too,"
he said.

As for his plans for the future, Jones has hopes for a lot more weeks
like the first six or seven.

"I think we are going to do just fine. Pecos needs two cleaners and
we want to be one of them. We have a good formula - do everything consistently
and be honest. If we probably can't get a stain out, we'll tell you. If
you offer a good service for a fair price, your customers will come back,
and that is our plan," he said.

For a guy who never expected to come back to Pecos or to run a laundry,
Jones seems to be on the right track - almost like he planned it.

Civic Center kickoff set for local Census project

By ROSIE FLORESStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 17, 2000 - The Reeves County Complete Count Committee 2000
is inviting the community to attend their Census 2000 Kick Off, which will
take place from 2-4 p.m., Sunday at the Reeves County Civic Center.

"Stand Up and Be Counted" is the motto of the United States Census 2000
and big plans are being made to encourage everyone to fill out the appropriate
forms. The Census Bureau has already mailed out forms to most Reeves County
residences, and will conduct census field operations at the local level.

The essential step in this process is the establishment of its Local
Census Offices (LCO), which will be staffed by approximately 60 people.
They will be coordinating the hiring and training of census takers, giving
the census takers their work assignments (beginning in March), and then
handling the census data received from households throughout the community.

Sunday's event is designed to promote understanding and participation
in Census 2000 and to stimulate public awareness of the hundreds of jobs
now available in this community for Census 2000.

"This is also a special opportunity for the public and the media to
learn why Census 2000 means so much to the future of the community and
also to meet the managers of all census operations in this area," said
Charlene Romero Wurtz, area Census Director.

Preliminary figures for Reeves County that were released last week shot
a decline of over 11 percent in population between 1990 and 1999. Funding
for many state and federal programs for the next decade will be based on
the population figures gathered by the Census 2000, so a low response rate
could be costly to both the county and its residents.

Refreshments, games and drinks will be provided during Sunday's event.
"It will be a fun time and a learning experience for all the family," said
Wurtz.

The Kick Off will be held in conjunction with "Be Counted Sunday."

"All religious organizations are asked to celebrate the day by urging
their congregation to fill out and return their questionnaire," said Wurtz.
"They are also asked to stress the important of Census."

"We sent out letters to all the congregations and have asked them to
talk about the Census," said Wurtz. "Actually, we have already started
the Census."

Bird smugglers among 59 on federal indictment list

By JON FULBRIGHTStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 17, 2000 - Federal grand jurors returned the usual indictments
for smuggling drugs and people into the United States last week, while
also dealing with a not-so-usual indictment for smuggling endangered birds
into the country.

A Presidio couple and two Dallas women were indicted on charges they
illegally smuggled endangered South American parrots, macaws and toucans
into the United States. The indictments were the result of a 4½-year
investigation by federal agents, according to papers filed in U.S. District
Court in Pecos.

Lucia Carrizales was indicted on 21 counts of illegal importation of
the birds, while her common law husband, Hector Carrizales, was indicted
on six counts, dealing with the last of the alleged smuggling incidents,
which began in July 1999 and lasted until this past January.

Martha Rodriguez, one of the two Dallas women involved, was charged
in 13 of the 21 counts by the grand jury, while the other woman, Estela
Weeks, was indicted on three counts involving the earliest of the smuggling
incidents.

The indictment said an undercover agent was contacted in 1995 about
handling the endangered birds, which are illegal to bring into the United
States under international law. The 21 counts involved the illegal importation
of 64 birds, starting with white crowned Amazon Parrots in 1995 through
1997, and later including white-faced Amazon Parrots, yellow headed, yellow
napped and blue crowned Amazon Parrots, before expanding into the importation
of keel-billed Toucans and military Macaws in 1999 and January 2000.

The four were among 59 indictments returned by grand jurors last week.
Most were for possession of marijuana and illegal importation of marijuana,
along with illegal entry and aiding in the smuggling of illegal aliens.

Included in that group were two area residents, Leonel S. Campos of
Kermit and Kristy Veronica Navarette of Monahans, who were charged with
possession with intent to distributed 43.87 kilograms of marijuana on Feb.
26.

Two Ojinaga, Mex. residents, Victor Garcia and Octavio Rodriguez, were
also charged with illegal importation and possession of cocaine by federal
grand jurors, while two Arlington men, identified as Fernando Moreno Meza
and Manuel Quirgoa Meza, face charged of filing false statements while
trying to enter the U.S. at the Presidio border checkpoint.

According to the indictment, the men did not declare $31,197 in currency,
a Norinco 7.62 x 39mm Mak 90 Sporter assault rifle, 10 and 30 round magazines
and 25 rounds of ammunition when the crossed into the U.S. at Presidio.
Federal law requires declaring all currency in excess of $10,000.

Flores joins race for P-B-T board

PECOS, Mar. 17, 2000 - A fourth candidate has officially filed to see one
of the two available terms on the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah School Board.

David L. Flores filed today to run in the May 6 school board election,
according to P-B-T secretary Jo Allgood. He joined incumbent Steve Armstrong
and two other challengers, Paul Deishler and Steve Valenzuela, in running
for the two three-year terms up for election.

The other incumbent whose term expires in May, Freddy Lujan, has not
yet filed for re-election.

Deadline to file in the May school, city and hospital district elections
is next Wednesday, March 22. Currently only two other races, for Pecos
mayor and the at-large post on the Reeves County Hospital District board,
have more than one candidate seeking the position.

Incumbent Dot Stafford will face Ray Ortega in the race for Town of
Pecos City mayor, and incumbent Greg Luna is being challenged by Leo Hung
for the RCH at large position, one three on the board up for election on
May 6. The position of mayor and two council seats will be up for election
in Pecos, Barstow, Toyah and Balmorhea.